//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: It Begins // Story: Very loopy // by Sollace //------------------------------// TICK TICK TOCK TICK TICK Sweetie Belle released her pent up breath as she watched the clock tick past midnight. Glancing over to the bed behind her, she could see both Celestia and Luna lying back, soundly sleep. One final burst of flames erupted from Philomena’s cage and the Phoenix appeared back on its perch with a squawk. Sweetie Belle lit her horn and a book sitting open on her desk floated over to her side. With a flick of her horn, Sweetie Belle flipped the pages to the sleeping spell she had used the night-- or should it be loop? – before. After skimming the spell to refresh her memory, Sweetie Belle tossed the book aside and prepared to cast the spell in reverse. As the little Unicorn concentrated, her magic slowly enveloped the sleeping Alicorns. At length, they began to stir. Celestia’s eyes fluttered open and, with a gasp and a high pitched holler, she shot up into a sitting position. Sweetie Belle emitted a high pitched eep and was thrown back onto her flanks from fright. With a groan, Princess Luna stirred. “Sister… do you have to do that every time you wake up…” “Luna, enough of your joking, it is time we got up. I believe we have arrived.” She turned to the slightly dazed unicorn sitting at the base of the bed. “Sweetie Belle, did it work?” Sweetie Belle stopped rubbing her head momentarily, got back to her hooves and looked to Celestia. “Y-yes Princess,” replied the little filly, unsure at first but quickly gaining enthusiasm, her little voice cracking in pitch as she spoke. “It is now, once again, Monday, 12th of October 1153.” “Wonderful!” Celestia leaped out of the bed, which gave a heavy groan after being relieved of at least some of the weight of two rather large Alicorn princesses, both clad in their heavy royal regalia and one particularly fond of cake. “Come one Luna, it is time to go! We have much we must do.” Luna simply groaned and rolled over, bunching the bedding up around her form. “Just five more hours…” “Come on Luna, you cannot sleep in Miss Belle’s bed forever.” And with that, Celestia grabbed the side of the mattress in her magic and gave it a firm yank. Luna’s eyes shot open as she felt her world almost turn upside down. She found herself floating in the air momentarily before she came crashing down on the hardwood floor beside Sweetie Belle’s bed, the bedding lying on and round her in a tangled mess. “I will be awaiting you downstairs.” Celestia turned and trotted swiftly though the open door. To this, Luna simply responded with a groan and then turned over to go back to sleep. After witnessing this, Sweetie Belle just shook herself and followed after Celestia. Princess Luna dragged herself into the kitchen, muffling a yawn with her hoof whilst the other ran itself through her dishevelled mane. She paused at the door, glancing around the room before spotting her sister sitting at the table, sipping tea with Rarity. In front of both of them was a tray covered in crumbs and what seemed like the remnants of some kind of scone. Celestia noticed her as she sipped her tea and waved. “Good morning sister,” she said, “I trust you have slept well?” “Ugh,” a groan was Luna’s only response as she unceremoniously sat herself down at the table, “Coffee…” Moments later her head met with the table with a loud smack, much to Rarity’s shock, causing the entire table to shudder and rattle. Rarity had just been able to save her tea whilst Celestia’s still hung safely in her magical grip. Celestia sipped her tea and set it back down, “Do forgive my sister’s behaviour. She is not that much of a morning pony.” “Oh, it’s perfectly understandable, Princess. Why I myself am none too pleasant to be around early in the mornings, especially before my morning cup.” “Now, I understand she wants some coffee?” said Rarity as she lit her horn and the pot of coffee sitting on the counter behind her took flight. A cupboard opened and a mug floated out to join the coffee pot and the two floated over to the table. “Will she have any milk and sugar?” Celestia shook her head. “She’ll have it black, no sugar.” Rarity nodded, poured the coffee out, and set the mug on the table in front of Luna. Whilst Rarity focused on returning the pot back to its home on the counter, Luna stretched out with her hoof searching for the mug. She patted around the table a few times before Celestia gave the mug a small nudge, putting it within Luna’s reach. Luna quickly took the mug in her hoof, and sitting back, she began to slug it in heavy gulps. But, not even half way through, she broke into a fit of splutters. “WHAT IS THIS THILTH THAT MINE ROYAL PALATE DOTH OFFEND; WE SHALL HAVE THE HEAD OF THE VILE, VILLAINOUS” — “LUNA!” Exclaimed Celestia, “It’s just coffee.” — “WHO WOULD DARE TO POIS—” Princess Luna halted her tirade and gave a long stare into the mug. “So it is.” She took another gulp and set the empty mug down. “Well,” Rarity pushed her chair back and made a move to get up, “I must really go; it’s been nice speaking with you, Princess, but I really have to get back to my work” “Of course,” Celestia inclined her head, “And thank you very much for your hospitality.” “It’s a pleasure, it is the least I can do for the Princesses, and you are welcome to stay for as long as you like.” And with that, Rarity took her leave and trotted back out to return to her sewing. “Right,” Celestia clapped her hooves together, “Now let’s get down to business. We have a stable, week long time loop. We can do whatever we want and anything we want. The only question is what do we do first?” She looked to Luna. “Hm…” Luna sat back in thought for a moment. At length a devilish grin appeared on her face. “What if we prank ourselves?” “Hm…" Celestia gave her unconvinced face. "Go on.” “Well, we could take all the cakes from your vault and put them in your bedroom.” Celestia still looked unconvinced. “Here's the important part; we do it during the night, whilst the Celestia from this loop is asleep so that when she wakes up she notices the cakes.” “And then what?” “Well what would you do if you suddenly found your room full of cake?” “I’d probably—” Celestia’s eyes widened, realization dawning on her, and a wide smile spread across her face. “Oh, this is good. We can use that. But we'll need a third member to pull it off.”